alopecia areata

I wore a lot of hats as a kid, but back then it was cute when they were way too big.

It is nearly impossible for me to find a hat that fits my peanut-sized head; so hat shopping has always been a dreaded task…

“It’s a four hour experience that you know will end in zero actual purchases.” -Kayla Upadhyaya, Sister

“It’s one of those things that you put a lot of work into, but receive no reward.” -Me

Luckily for me, my hat-shopping misery was put to an end when I walked into Goorin BrothersHat Shop in Charleston, South Carolina. The place was hoppin’ with eager hat-shoppers, hatters, and milliners milling about. I tried on numerous hats and to my surprise I found the perfect fit! However, I walked into the store penniless so naturally I soon walked out of the store hatless.

A few weeks later I stopped by the Goorin Bros. NYC West Village location. Thanks to the wonderful people of Goorin Bros., I was given two perfect hats to incorporate into my wardrobe.

The first of which is the Goorin everyday hat, April Rose. This wide brim fedora is light weight and super comfy. While walking around New York City I got multiple compliments from random people– some of which stopped walking just to tell me that they liked my hat. I’ve worn it to the beach, for brunch, and I even sported it during the Fourth of July parade.

The second hat is the 100% straw fedora Beach Day. This hat is awesome because it’s packable and versatile enough to throw in a bag and whip out whenever it’s needed.

Both of these summer hats have been great at shading my head from the hot summer sun. I am so thankful for Goorin Brothers, and I can’t want to add new Goorin hats to my hat collection.

A lot has changed since last year. I went from living in the mountains– going days without showering– to living on a college campus– where showering is expected. Okay, so I’m not arguing with people’s tendency to shower… in fact it’s quite nice. However, this whole “always looking presentable” thing is a pain in my ass. Girls show up to their 8am classes with makeup caked-on their faces. If they are trying to catch the attention of boys, well, they should realize no one is awake enough to notice how good (or bad) that smokey eye looks. In theory, I too wake up early enough to put some eyeliner on my half-awake eyes… but I spend my morning time differently. I eat my breakfast at an enjoyable speed, sit outside and breathe in the crisp air, or take some sunrise photos before heading to class. Okay, enough about how I’m cooler than you basic b’s, (…just kidding).

Don’t get me wrong… I too use makeup, and there’s nothing wrong with that. So onto the main point of this post– I am going to share with you what my makeup bag staples are. The brushes, pencils, and shadows I don’t leave without. You know, for those times I want to look presentable.

Alana did this make-up she is incredible talented!

Eye Brows

I’m special, and I get to draw my eyebrows in everyday! That means I can get funky, and make them any shape I want. Although I don’t do that… I stick to something pretty basic. First I use Maybelline Ultra-Brow Brush on Color. I’ve had this one container for over 3 years, so I’ve gotta say this product lasts forever– odds are you’ll lose it before it runs out. After applying the powder, I use a L’OREAL Brow Stylist pencil in a darker shade to give my brows more depth. (I’m trying to sound like I know what I’m talking about.)

Eyes

I like to start by applying black waterproof eyeliner. These day’s I’m using Sephora Retractable (matte black) liner. Most liquid eyeliners are too dark and intense for me, so this retractable pencil works great. It even has a built in sharpener to get those fine lines.

Next, I like to add a second liner above the black to soften it a little. Somedays I go with Sonia Kashuk (olive suede) Eye Definer which blends perfectly with the black liner. If I’m looking for a little more jazz, I’ll use Elizabeth Mott (pearl) Smooth Shadow. This is a pinkish shadow stick that has some sparkle– yes, I said sparkle. Although you wouldn’t consider me a sparkle gal, it’s nice to switch it up every once in a while.

I have yet to find the perfect eyeshadow. Lately I’ve been into Elf Eye Shadow Duo’s because they have two shades that work well together, and it’s affordable. Although I am not sold on the shadow, I have found the perfect brush. Antonym Cosmetics is a Ecocert certified cosmetic brand that makes eco-friendly makeup and brushes. Their brushes are made out of bamboo and are vegan! YES, VEGAN BRUSHES… (jaw drop.) Check out their website to learn more about them! I am using their Eye Shader Brush and am very close to investing in their travel set of brushes.

Lips

I hate the way lipstick feels on my lips. So I’ve been on the hunt for something that looks great and feels as natural as possible. I have tried a few lip stains, but those aren’t very forgiving, and although I like her videos, I try to avoid the Miranda Sings look. Antonym has another great product… their lipstick pencil. It goes on effortlessly and best of all feels like I’m wearing nothing! My only disappointment in this product is that there aren’t other color options– because we all know if there were I’d own them all.

Face

I don’t typically use foundation, and when I do it’s very mineral… I mean minimal. I have a set of bareMinerals powder that does the trick. My favorite is the Mineral Veil that keeps all the rest of my makeup lookin’ fine come 5 o’clock. I also use Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder for those days I need a little extra under-the-eye coverage. Because I am no longer in that sweet Norwegian air, my cheeks sometimes fall pale. In which case I use a little bit of blush. I’d tell you what I use, but then I’d have to kill you. Just kidding, the blush container is so old all labels, names, logos and such are rubbed off. It’ll forever be a mystery.

Now for those of you dedicated enough to make it through this post, I give you props. I also give a huge shout out to Elizabeth Mott and Antonym Cosmetics for sharing their wonderful products with me. They have now become essential to beautifying my face!

P.S. If you’re thinking the whole purpose of this post was to have an excuse to share a bunch of selfies… you are correct.

This is another blog post for my homies…. my bald and beautiful Alopecians, and all dad’s that gave into their receding hair lines. Have you heard of Mondo Baldo? If not, you should check it out pronto!

This T-shirt company is pretty much ran by one (very awesome) guy who goes by the name of Baldylocks. His designs are sleek, and best of all, CLEVER. Check out some of my favorite designs:

There’s also the classic Bald & Proud shirts that I hope to someday add to my collection.

SO if you’ve dropped the ball on christmas presents and know someone who’s Bald and Proud… get them some Mondo Baldo swag!

Attention Alopecians, and all other bald and beautiful people out there, listen up! Everybody else… you can listen too.

Having Alopecia Areata has many advantages. For example, your showers can take 2 minutes. You don’t spend time blow drying, straitening, combing, braiding or styling. You’ll never have to worry about hat hair. You don’t spend money on haircuts or hair-dyes. And bad hair days… nope, you don’t have those either. There is, however, something that I have to do that not many people experience– especially women– and that’s shaving my head.

I’ve been a headshaver for years now, and I never stop trying to perfect the art. What’s the best razor to use? How often do I have to change the razor? How much pressure should I use? Shaving cream, or no shaving cream? Shower or sink? Well, I don’t have all of the answers, but there’s one product out there that will help you answer at least some of those questions, and that’s HeadBlade.

Over the years I have switched razors willy-nilly. There was never any rhyme or reason to which one I used, it was just which ever one I picked up. I remember hearing about the HeadBlade, a razor built specifically for shaving heads, and checking them out on their website. After realizing their site was only targeted toward men, I sent an email to the president. It was one of those things that I just felt like I had to do, but didn’t expect much to come out of it. To my surprise I received an awesome response, and have had great respect for Todd Greene and the company ever since. Flash forward a few years and I finally decided it was time to try out all of their products and write a review for those people asking the same questions as I am… so here it is.

HeadBlade HeadShed

This is HeadBlade’s exfoliating pre-shave scrub. The first time I opened it I was hesitant because of it’s color, but that all changed when I began to use it. It preps your head for the ultimate shave… getting rid of any dry skin that might cause you to knick or cut yourself. It also makes your skin feel good… so I trashed my Aveeno exfoliating cleanser (I didn’t really, that stuff is too expensive to throw away,) and made the Head Shed my goto.

The Downside:

It smells like dirt, looks like dirt, and basically feels like you’re rubbing dirt on your head when you use it.

The Bottom Line:

The whole dirt thing takes 2 seconds to get over. It’s a great product to add to your head shaving routine.

HeadBlade HeadSlick

This shave cream is different than your typical shave cream. It doesn’t excessively foam up and leave you looking like George Washington on a bad hair day. It’s also paraben free. And if you don’t know what that means, join the club. Now I usually just skip the shaving cream step, especially if I’m shaving in the shower. That being said, its nice to have something on hand for those times you need a healthier shave.

The Downside:

Perhaps I got a weird bottle, or maybe it’s the bottle shape, but every time I close the bottle it sprays across the room. I’ve now learned from my mistakes and aim it away from my eyes when closing it.

The Bottom Line:

This product has less of a “WOW” factor compared to the other HeadBlade products. However, it’s a solid shave cream. PLUS it is free of perfumes which is really nice.

The HeadBlade ATX Razor

I’m telling you, nothing will beat it. If you’ve never used the HeadBlade shaped razor, it will change your life. You wouldn’t think the little car-shaped thing would make much of a difference, but it works seamlessly. I use the 4 blade cartridges and I barely have to change them. The current blade that is in there has been shaving smoothly for over 2 weeks now… do the math and I think you’ll find that switching to these razors and blades will save you a lot of money. Speaking of… does anyone know why typical blades are so damn expensive? Anyways, I have yet to knick myself while using this razor… but then again I have only cut myself 3 times in all the years I’ve been doing this, so maybe that’s more of just my skill and grace.

The Downside:

Living the extremely busy and active life I have lived over the years, I have become a shower shaver. It is harder to get a feel for where the blade is when you’re using it in the shower… but I’m getting better with practice. Regardless, I’d say this product performs best in front of a mirror, at a sink.

The Bottom Line:

Get it. Get it. Get it.

HeadBlade HeadLube Matte

This moisturizer is perfume, dye, and cruelty free. That’s nice. It is the perfect way to end your HeadBlade product marathon. It is made for freshly shaved heads and faces, so it won’t clog those pores. This matte version moisturizes your skin without making it feel oily or shiny. And don’t worry, there is a glossy version for those of you who like the bowling ball look.

The Downside:

No SPF. Whenever I put lotion on my head and face I like it to have some level of SPF. That is the only thing preventing this from being my goto head lotion.

The Bottom Line:

It is a quality post-shave lotion, but don’t depend on it as everyday, all-day.

So those are the essential HeadBlade products, although, there are numerous others. Explore the different kinds of razors and decide which one works best for you! And be careful… because once you go HeadBlade, you’ll never go back.